Amusement and Theme Parks

News about Amusement and Theme Parks, including commentary and archival articles published in The New York Times.

Chronology of Coverage

Mar. 27, 2015

Friday File column; New York Times archives highlight coverage of opening of Coney Island amusement parks Dreamland and Luna Park in 1904. MORE

Feb. 4, 2015

Philippe and Nicolas de Villiers, successful french operators of historical theme parks, are planning new operation in Crimea; pair will avoid troubled episodes in region's recent history, instead choosing to portray its Byzantine lineage from the distant past; have struck deal with Russian investors and have met with Russian Pres Vladimir Putin. MORE

Dec. 29, 2014

Texas businessman David Jones is trying to raise $8 million to buy and renovate Alamo Village, replica of Texas landmark built for John Wayne movie The Alamo and since used for over 100 additional artistic productions; Jones hopes to turn it into a theme park. MORE

Dec. 11, 2014

Kentucky rescinds offer of tax breaks for a religious-themed park that would feature a 500-foot-long wooden ark based on Noah’s Ark; state officials say planned project had changed from tourism attraction to outreach for Christian ministry. MORE

Nov. 23, 2014

Brooks Barnes travel article highlights visit to all 13 Disney theme parks, from California to Paris and even Tokyo. MORE

Oct. 14, 2014

Comcast's NBC Universal unit announces plans to build a $3.3 billion theme park in Beijing; 1,000-acre park will be part of effort to capitalize on China's growing middle class. MORE

Aug. 29, 2014

Zakho Journal; most people at Happy Park in Zakho, Iraq, many from wealthy families, or longtime residents seeking a break, are glad to have any kind of escape from militants of Islamic State in Iraq and Syria sweeping through their towns; theme park in Iraqi Kurdistan once hosted thousands on weekend nights, but local crowds have thinned. MORE

Aug. 10, 2014

Aug. 9, 2014

Several amusement and theme parks are offering theatrical shows, including The Singing Sorceress: Celestina Warbeck and the Banshees at Universal Orlando Resort, London Rocks at Busch Gardens in Williamsburg, Va, and Lusty Lil's Revue at Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio. MORE

Jul. 30, 2014

Seaside Heights, NJ, stands to lose its last carousel, historic, wooden one which dates to 1910 and features horses from master carvers; owners say, because of 'market conditions,' they will put it up for sale; auction house Guernsey's would like to keep carousel in one piece, but it could be sold off piece by piece; residents and longtime visitors are campaigning to save the carousel with online petition. MORE

Jul. 27, 2014

News analysis; yearly deaths and injuries occurring on amusement park rides raise question of whether roller coasters and other thrill rides have, in becoming taller, faster and more extreme, also become more dangerous; no single federal agency is responsible for collecting data and assessing safety of such rides, resulting in variable regulation from state to state. MORE

Jul. 27, 2014

Next-generation wooden roller coasters that take their riders upside down can be found in amusement parks in Branson, Mo, Gurnee, Ill, and Wisconsin Dells, Wis. MORE

Jul. 22, 2014

Rome's legendary film studio Cinecitta, which is in financial trouble as result of lower-cost filming in Eastern Europe, hopes that Cinecitta World, new theme park inspired by the studio’s golden era, will attract more international travelers to the city. MORE

Jun. 16, 2014

Thomas Land, theme park based on popular children’s television show Thomas & Friends, is being built at Edaville USA Railroad in Carver, Mass. MORE

Jun. 13, 2014

Westchester County officials say blueprint is being scrapped and new approach adopted for saving amusement park Rye Playland. MORE

May. 27, 2014

Florida's economy is on the rise again, shaking off big housing bust; so far in 2014, state has led country in job growth and chalked up third-best record over last 12 months; reasons for comeback include low prices for land and contractors, and tourism driven in part by new Harry Potter theme park attraction. MORE

May. 25, 2014

Thunderbolt, first custom-designed roller coaster at Coney Island in decades, is serious thrill-ride, offering lightning-quick moves and steep upside-down drops; coaster replaces old wooden Thunderbolt, which operated at park from 1925 to 1982. MORE

Apr. 30, 2014

Plan to revitalize Rye Playland, Art Deco amusement park in Rye, NY, is threatened by opposition from neighbors, who object to several changes including a new, large field house; Sustainable Playland, key group behind project, has threatened to drop out. MORE

Apr. 9, 2014

Comcast is increasing spending at Universal Studios Hollywood, following years of neglect by previous owners of California theme park; $1.6 billion overhaul is aimed at competing with nearby Disneyland. MORE

Apr. 2, 2014

Walt Disney World has spent more than a year rolling out MyMagic+, $1 billion reservation system designed to make park more profitable by making its 30 million annual visitors happier; multifaceted system, which involves tracking guests through data-collecting electronic wristbands, has taken longer to implement than expected as Disney confronts array of daunting complexities. MORE

Mar. 11, 2014

Thunderbolt roller coaster is returning to its Coney Island site, but will now be constructed of steel rather than wood, and will be able to reach speeds of 55 miles per hour; will be the first coaster in the area since 1910 to hurtle riders upside-down. MORE

Feb. 18, 2014

Walt Disney Company says it plans to increase number of hotel rooms at Hong Kong Disneyland by 75 percent; 750-room hotel featuring the theme of exotic locations will open by early 2017 and cost about $550 million. MORE

Jan. 24, 2014

Universal Orlando Resort unveils details for a huge expansion of its Harry Potter theme park, including two major new rides, eight new stores and a sprawling restaurant. MORE

Dec. 28, 2013

Turkey legs are increasingly popular draw to Disney's North American theme parks since their humble debut in late 1980's; Disney guests will likely have eaten as many as two million of theme parks’ giant smoked turkey legs in 2013, 25 percent more than just three years earlier. MORE

Nov. 12, 2013

Frank Bruni Op-Ed column maintains tiered upgrades on airplanes, at amusement parks and elsewhere represent how America has become a land with precise microclimates of exclusivity; holds unattractive shift mirrors larger trends of income inequality and social segregation MORE

Oct. 8, 2013

Iron Man-themed thrill ride, photo pavilion and shopping area will open at Hong Kong Disneyland in late 2016; Disney is betting Marvel superhero ride, to cost at least $100 million, will complete turnaround at its underperforming theme park as it prepares to open mega-resort in Shanghai. MORE

Jul. 7, 2013

Virginia Sole-Smith article on live mermaid show offered at Weeki Wachee Springs state park in Florida; reflects show, which began in 1950s, should remind Floridians why they should cherish their state's quirky roadside attractions just as much as Disney World and other shiny new super parks of Orlando. MORE

Jul. 5, 2013

Luna Park on Coney Island Boardwalk reopens in late afternoon of Fourth of July after Astrotower is partially dismantled by workers; 53-foot-high former ride had begun to sway dangerously when a storm approached the area. MORE

Jul. 3, 2013

Some Luna Park attractions, the Wonder Wheel and many shops on the Coney Island Boardwalk remained closed on Wednesday as city officials considered the stability of a former ride. MORE

Jul. 3, 2013

Concern over visible swaying of decades-old Astrotower in Coney Island forces evacuation and closing of nearby amusement park Luna Park; New York City Buildings Department says its engineers are examining tower and looking for signs of failure or weakness. MORE

Jun. 30, 2013

Monica Davey travel article offers advice on how to experience five water parks in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Illinois. MORE

Jun. 19, 2013

Horace Bullard plans for redeveloping Coney Island of his youth, complete with year-round amusement parks and bustling commerce, remain unrealized; properties bought by Bullard in 1970s and 1980s remain dilapidated and largely vacant, while burst of new development excludes his ideas. MORE

Jun. 10, 2013

Work will soon begin on failed Xanadu project, now called American Dream Meadowlands; new owner Triple Five Worldwide, conglomerate based in Canada, plans to spend $1.7 billion, on top of the $1.9 billion spent by two previous developers, to create its new vision; Triple Five estimates that the complex will draw 40 million visitors a year, half of them tourists. MORE

Jun. 10, 2013

More American theme parks are adopting tiered model, with special access and perks for those willing to pay; Universal Studios Hollywood has introduced $299 VIP ticket that comes with valet parking, breakfast in luxury lounge, special back lot access and other perks and amenities; critics say trend ruins egalitarian nature of experience. MORE

Jun. 6, 2013

To its Simpsons Ride, Universal Orlando Resort has added a replica of Springfield, the family’s hometown. MORE

Jun. 2, 2013

Matthew J X Malady Riff essay bemoans modern line-jumping options that allow people at crowded theme parks or stores to skip the line by paying extra. MORE

May. 9, 2013

Universal Studios announces that theme park area based on J K Rowling's bestselling book and movie series Harry Potter will open at Universal Studios Florida in 2014; Potter-themed area is already popular at Universal's adjacent theme park Islands of Adventure. MORE

Mar. 25, 2013

Luna Park in Coney Island, Brooklyn, celebrates opening day, five months after Hurricane Sandy devastated coast and flooded amusement park in almost five feet of seawater; some Coney Island residents say park's opening day serves as reminder of how much work still needs to be done in the neighborhood. MORE

Jan. 7, 2013

Walt Disney World will introduce new electronic bracelet system in spring 2013 that will guide visitors to attractions and allow them to pay electronically for individual charges; new system will also allow company to gain greater access to valuable customer information. MORE

Dec. 23, 2012

Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Fla, has more than doubled the size of its Fantasyland section to include attractions based on more recent Disney movies. MORE

Dec. 23, 2012

Suggested schedule for a perfect day at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Fla noted. MORE

Dec. 1, 2012

New York Mayor Michael R Bloomberg announces that the Rockaway Boardwalk will be rebuilt, but with concrete instead of hardwood, and perhaps not before summer 2013; Bloomberg's remarks are met with muted reactions from residents and businesses in New York and along the New Jersey coast, with the issue of what materials to use in rebuilding region's countless destroyed boardwalks far from settled. MORE

Oct. 20, 2012

Walt Disney World reopens Country Bear Jamboree, corny Magic Kingdom revue that has been performed since 1971 until its closing in August, with a shortened program and with new fur styles for the animatronic animal stars; update is attempt by the theme park to keep this outdated but beloved show relevant to a younger generation while not angering hard-core fans. MORE

Oct. 12, 2012

Westchester County officials announce plans for a complete makeover of Rye Playland, 1920s-era amusement park. MORE

Aug. 2, 2012

Kit Eaton App Smart column observes confusing maps and long lines can make theme parks stressful, but several apps can keep habitual parkgoers informed and entertained. MORE

Jul. 29, 2012

Jul. 22, 2012

Neighborhood Joint column on Fun Station USA, indoor amusement park in the Travis neighborhood of Staten Island. MORE

Jul. 20, 2012

Coney Island has retained its character during a massive overhaul by the city to reinvigorate it; patrons say that the area has so far avoided becoming too sanitized and tidy, and has not lost its charm in the restoration of the amusement parks and the surrounding expansion. MORE

Jul. 11, 2012

Hollywood studio Dreamworks Animation strikes deal with developer Triple Five to bring Shrek, Kung Fu Panda and other animated characters to planned indoor amusement park in New Jersey Meadowlands. MORE

SeaWorld Entertainment Inc. is mounting a public defense of its animal handling in a new advertising campaign that began Monday, after a highly critical 2013 documentary left the park with declining revenue and attendance.